Month: May 2006
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Time for a Pint at Ye Olde Bell
Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire This past Wednesday evening I had the opportunity to meet Randolph Churchill for the first time. What a name that would be to live up to. He’s the great-grandson of Sir Winston, grandson of Randolph and his first wife, Pamela Digby [later Harriman] and son of Winston S Churchill MP. His Grandmother is…
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The Duchess of M
Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire At present, I’m sitting on the fast train out of Oxford Station heading for London’s Paddington Station. [Insiders tip: On the weekends you can buy a “Cheap Day Single” and upgrade to First Class for ₤5.] It’s late morning and after a lovely breakfast at the Randolph Hotel in Oxford where we’re…
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A General Connection – General Sir Eyre Coote
Ye Olde Bell, Hurley, Berkshire I’m sitting here in the pub of The Old Bell, or in Old English, Ye Olde Bell, in Berkshire, just a short walk from the river Thames. Thinking back about all that we’ve seen in the last couple of days, it’s difficult to believe how much has been packed into these…
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Full Rear Assault
White House Hotel, London I was pleasantly engaged in a chat with three fellow travelers on my journey and all of a sudden, from behind, a full rear assault by a woman of a certain age and a somewhat familiar face. She stormed me from behind and I didn’t see it coming whatsoever. She forced her…
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A Swords Length in the Commons
White House Hotel, London On our tour of the Houses of Parliament, we continued on from the House of Lords through the Central Lobby which is the lobby that lies between both of the houses of parliament. The rules of the House provide that any constituent, at any time can come into this lobby and demand…
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The Palace of Westminster
London We had an 8:45 departure this crisp Monday morning from the hotel. First stop The Palace of Westminster or more commonly known as the Houses of Parliament. I have been to London many times before, and there’s much to see but I’ve never been to visit the inside of the Houses of Parliament prior…
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A ‘Full English’ on the First Morning in London
Endel Street, London Time for a ‘Full English’ breakfast I slept well last night after being out at a drinks party at a friend’s flat over in Marylebone until 1:30 AM. What jet lag? I find myself seated at a quaint sidewalk café nestled just off Covent Garden, after having indulged in a delightful full-English…
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Heathrow Express
Heathrow Airport Catching the Heathrow Express to Paddington I caught the Heathrow Express and if you haven’t ever done this it’s the new train that goes directly to Paddington Station. It gets you from Heathrow to the City in 15 minutes. All the cabbies are of course quite upset about it, but such is progress.…
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Somewhere Above the Pole
Somewhere Above the Pole Compliments to the Staff The flight was excellent. We arrived on the flight to Heathrow a few minutes early and I actually had very nice service from two flight attendants, both of them English. Well, actually from one flight attendant. The nice one was quite sweet and sincere and the other had been flying with…
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Overheard at the Red Carpet Club
Red Carpet Club, Los Angeles International Ahh—a nice crisp, cold glass of Chardonnay. Well, cheap Chardonnay, but anyway it’s cold. I’m still sitting here in the Red Carpet Club and as I posted earlier it’s rather busy here. All I could hear were middle-aged white guys chatting on their cell phones about.. well I didn’t really care…